Carrying strap having protective device

ABSTRACT

A carrying strap device includes a strap member for attaching onto a user and having two end portions for coupling to an object, and a protective device having a band member coupled to the intermediate segment of the strap member for allowing the band member and the intermediate segment of the strap member to form a relatively smaller loop and to stably retain the strap member on the user and for preventing the object from being swung or vibrated or disengaged from the user. The band member includes two band segments detachably lockable together with spring clip members. Two belt members may be attached to the object and each has a spring clip member for detachably coupling to the strap member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a carrying strap device, and more particularly to a carrying strap device for supporting and carrying various objects onto a user and having a protective device for preventing the objects from being disengaged from the user inadvertently and for allowing the objects to be disengaged from the user when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device and thus for protecting the user from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical objects, such as bags, suitcases, luggage articles, electric fans, cameras, video cameras, flashlights, keys, eyeglasses, portable tape recorders, radios, mobile or portable phones, musical instruments, or the like, and particularly the cameras may comprise a carrying strap device coupled thereto for attaching the objects onto the users, such as onto the shoulders or the neck portions of the users.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,841 to Smith discloses one of the typical modular stacking bags also comprising a carrying strap device coupled thereto for attaching onto the shoulders or the neck portions of the users, and four spring clip members for detachably attaching or coupling the typical modular stacking bags to the carrying strap. However, the typical carrying strap device has no protective device for preventing the objects from being vibrated or swung relative to the users particularly when the users are bowing their heads or are jumping or conducting various kinds of exercises.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,035 to Carter discloses another typical portable necklace fan also comprising a carrying strap device coupled thereto for attaching onto the shoulders or the neck portions of the users. However, the typical portable necklace fan has no spring clip members for detachably attaching or coupling the typical portable necklace fan to the carrying strap and for allowing the objects and the carrying strap device from being disengaged from the users, and for preventing the users from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device, particularly when the carrying strap device is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers, for example.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional carrying strap devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a carrying strap device for supporting and carrying various objects onto the user and having a protective device for preventing the objects from being disengaged from the user inadvertently and for allowing the objects to be disengaged from the user when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device and thus for protecting the user from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a carrying strap device comprising a strap member for attaching onto a user, including two end portions for coupling to and for supporting and carrying an object thereto, and including an intermediate segment, and a protective device including a band member having two end portions coupled to the intermediate segment of the strap member for allowing the band member and the intermediate segment of the strap member to form a relatively smaller loop and to stably retain the strap member on the user and for preventing the object from being swung or vibrated or disengaged from the user.

The band member includes a middle cut provided therein for separating the band member into two band segments, each of the band segments includes a first spring clip member attached thereto, and the first spring clip members are detachably lockable together for allowing the two band segments of the band member to be selectively disengaged from each other.

The band member includes a second spring clip member for selectively coupling the first spring clip members together. The first spring clip members are female spring clip members, and the second spring clip member is a male spring clip member for engaging with the first spring clip members respectively.

The female spring clip members each includes a channel and at least one lock cavity formed therein and communicating with each other, and the male spring clip member includes a base member having two sides and having at least one lock extension extended from each of the sides thereof for engaging into the channels of the female spring clip members respectively, and having an enlarged head provided on each of the lock extensions for engaging with the lock cavities of the female spring clip members respectively and for detachably locking the female spring clip members together.

The strap member includes two belt members each having a first end for attaching to the object and a second end for selectively and detachably attaching to the two end portions of the strap member respectively. The strap member includes two third spring clip members attached to the two end portions thereof respectively, and the belt members each includes a fourth spring clip member attached thereto for selectively engaging with the third spring clip members respectively and for detachably coupling the third and the fourth spring clip members together.

The third spring clip members each includes a channel formed therein and at least one lock seat extended into the channel thereof, the fourth spring clip members each includes a base member having at least one lock extension extended therefrom for engaging into the channel of the third spring clip members respectively and having an enlarged head provided on the lock extension for engaging with the lock seat of the third spring clip members respectively and for detachably locking the third and the fourth spring clip members together.

The third spring clip members each includes a spring knob extended therefrom and located beside the lock seat for being depressed to engage with and to force and to disengage the enlarged head of the lock extension from the lock seat of the third spring clip member.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrying strap device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the carrying strap device;

FIG. 3 is another partial exploded view of the carrying strap device;

FIG. 4 is a further partial exploded view of the carrying strap device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the carrying strap device; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the other arrangement of the carrying strap device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, a carrying strap device 10 in accordance with the present invention comprises a strap member 11 for attaching or engaging onto a user 8 (FIG. 5), such as onto the shoulder or the neck portion 80 of the user 8, and including two end portions 12, 13 for coupling to and for supporting or carrying an object 88 thereto. The object 88 may be selected from various kinds of objects 88, such as bags, suitcases, luggage articles, electric fans, cameras, video cameras, flashlights, keys, eyeglasses, portable tape recorders, radios, mobile or portable phones, musical instruments, or the like, and particularly the camera 88 as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 5-6.

The carrying strap device 10 in accordance with the present invention further comprises a protective device 20 including a band member 21 having two end portions 22, 23 coupled or secured to the strap member 11 with such as stitches or fasteners or the like, and attached to such as the middle or intermediate segment 14 of the strap member 11, for allowing the band member 21 of the protective device 20 and the middle or intermediate segment 14 of the strap member 11 to form a relatively smaller or narrower loop and to stably retain the strap member 11 on the neck portion 80 of the user 8 (FIG. 5) and thus to prevent the object 88 from being swung or vibrated and disengaged from the user 8 inadvertently.

It is preferable that the band member 21 of the protective device 20 includes a cut 24 formed or provided in the middle portion thereof for separating the band member 21 into two band segments 25, 26, best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the band segments 25, 26 includes an inner end portion 27 having a spring clip member 30 attached thereto, and the spring clip members 30 may be detachably coupled or secured or locked together by themselves or with another spring clip member 40, and arranged for allowing the two band segments 25, 26 of the band member 21 to be selectively disengaged or separated from each other, also shown in FIGS. 2, 3.

For example, the spring clip members 30 are female spring clip members 30 each having a channel 32 and one or more lock cavities 33 formed therein and communicating with each other, and the other spring clip member 40 is a male spring clip member 40 including a base member 41 having two sides 42 and having one or more lock extensions 43 extended from each of the sides 42 thereof for engaging into the channels 32 of the female spring clip members 30 respectively (FIG. 3), and having an enlarged head 44 formed or extended from the free end portion of each of the lock extensions 43 for engaging with the lock cavities 33 of the female spring clip members 30 respectively and thus for detachably locking the spring clip members 30 together.

The provision of the female spring clip members 30 and/or the male spring clip member 40 allows the female spring clip members 30 to be selectively and detachably coupled or secured or locked together, and also allows the female spring clip members 30 to be selectively separated from each other when a great pulling or robbing force is applied onto the carrying strap device 10, for allowing the objects 88 to be disengaged from the user 8 under the great pulling or robbing force, and thus for protecting the user 8 from being hurt by the carrying strap device 10 inadvertently, particularly when the carrying strap device 10 is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers, for example.

It is further preferable that the carrying strap device 10 further includes two belt members 50 each having one end 51 for attaching or coupling to the object 88 with various coupling members 52, such as coupling rings 52, and each having another end 53 for selectively and detachably attaching or coupling to the two end portions 12, 13 of the strap member 11. For example, the strap member 11 of the carrying strap device 10 includes a further spring clip member 60, such as a female spring clip member 60 attached to each of the two end portions 12, 13 of the strap member 11, and also having a channel 62 formed therein (FIG. 4), and one or more, such as two lock seats 63 extended into the channel 62 thereof, and one or more, such as two spring knobs 65 extended on two sides thereof and located beside the seats 63 respectively.

Another spring clip member 70, such as a male spring clip member 70 may further be provided and attached to the other end portion 53 of each of the belt members 50, and includes a base member 71 having one or more lock extensions 73 extended therefrom for engaging into the channel 62 of the female spring clip members 60 respectively (FIG. 4), and having an enlarged head 75 formed or extended from the free end portion of the lock extension 73 for engaging with the lock seats 63 of the female spring clip members 60 respectively and thus for detachably locking the spring clip members 60, 70 together. The spring knobs 65 may be depressed toward each other by the users to engage with and to force and to disengage the enlarged heads 75 of the lock extension 73 from the lock seats 63 of the female spring clip members 60 respectively.

The provision of the female spring clip members 60 and/or the male spring clip member 70 allows the spring clip members 60, 70 to be selectively and detachably coupled or secured or locked together, and also allows the spring clip members 60, 70 to be selectively separated from each other when a great pulling or robbing force is applied onto the carrying strap device 10, for allowing the objects 88 to be disengaged from the user 8 under the great pulling or robbing force, and thus for protecting the user 8 from being hurt by the carrying strap device 10 inadvertently, particularly when the carrying strap device 10 is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers, for example.

As shown in FIG. 6, without the spring clip members 60, 70, the carrying strap device 10 may also be stably attached and retained on the neck portion 80 of the user 8 with the protective device 20, to prevent the object 88 from being swung or vibrated and disengaged from the user 8 inadvertently, and the provision of the female and the male spring clip members 30, 40 allows the female spring clip members 30 to be detachably secured together, and allows the spring clip members 30 to be selectively separated from each other when a great pulling or robbing force is applied onto the carrying strap device 10, and for protecting the user 8 from being hurt by the carrying strap device 10 particularly when the carrying strap device 10 is pulled or robbed or snatched by robbers.

Accordingly, the carrying strap device may be provided for supporting and carrying various objects onto the user and having a protective device for preventing the objects from being disengaged from the user inadvertently and for allowing the objects to be disengaged from the user when a great pulling force is applied onto the carrying strap device and thus for protecting the user from being hurt by the carrying strap device inadvertently.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A carrying strap device comprising: a strap member for attaching onto a user, including two end portions for coupling to and for supporting and carrying an object thereto, and including an intermediate segment, and a protective device including a band member having two end portions coupled to said intermediate segment of said strap member for allowing said band member and said intermediate segment of said strap member to form a relatively smaller loop and to stably retain said strap member on the user and for preventing the object from being swung or vibrated or disengaged from the user.
 2. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said band member includes a middle cut provided therein for separating said band member into two band segments, each of said band segments includes a first spring clip member attached thereto, and said first spring clip members are detachably lockable together for allowing said two band segments of said band member to be selectively disengaged from each other.
 3. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said band member includes a second spring clip member for selectively coupling said first spring clip members together.
 4. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first spring clip members are female spring clip members, and said second spring clip member is a male spring clip member for engaging with said first spring clip members respectively.
 5. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said female spring clip members each includes a channel and at least one lock cavity formed therein and communicating with each other, and said male spring clip member includes a base member having two sides and having at least one lock extension extended from each of said sides thereof for engaging into said channels of said female spring clip members respectively, and having an enlarged head provided on each of said at least one lock extensions for engaging with said at least one lock cavities of said female spring clip members respectively and for detachably locking said female spring clip members together.
 6. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said strap member includes two belt members each having a first end for attaching to the object and a second end for selectively and detachably attaching to said two end portions of said strap member respectively.
 7. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said strap member includes two first spring clip members attached to said two end portions thereof respectively, and said belt members each includes a second spring clip member attached thereto for selectively engaging with said first spring clip members respectively and for detachably coupling said first and said second spring clip members together.
 8. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first spring clip members each includes a channel formed therein and at least one lock seat extended into said channel thereof, said second spring clip members each includes a base member having at least one lock extension extended therefrom for engaging into said channel of said first spring clip members respectively and having an enlarged head provided on said at least one lock extension for engaging with said at least one lock seat of said first spring clip members respectively and for detachably locking said first and said second spring clip members together.
 9. The carrying strap device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first spring clip members each includes a spring knob extended therefrom and located beside said at least one lock seat for being depressed to engage with and to force and to disengage said enlarged head of said at least one lock extension from said at least one lock seat of said first spring clip member. 